


The Lane Family Animus

by TheEndeavorNetwork



Category: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, DC Extended Universe, Justice League (2017), Man of Steel (2013)
Genre: Bad Parenting, Clark meets Sam, Family Issues, Gen, I just wanted to delve into the Lane family, Lois and Sam have beef, Lucy is persistent, Minor clois, Sam is an asshole, Siblings, rated t for cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:40:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24484471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEndeavorNetwork/pseuds/TheEndeavorNetwork
Summary: “Y’know, avoiding confrontation is never gonna solve the problems you two have.”“It’s easy for you to say something like that,” Lois laughed, “You’ve always been daddy’s little girl. Do you know the last time he called me that wasn’t a birthday or Christmas? It was after Black Zero. I thought he was actually concerned about me, but turns out, he just wanted to interrogate me about the Kryptonians.”~~Lucy Lane drags her big sister Lois into meeting up with their father for the first time in years.
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I mostly did this because I wanted to write Lucy Lane. I hope we get to see her in the DCEU someday.

Lois’s phone vibrated in her pocket, and she pulled it out to look. It was a text from her little sister, Lucy.

Lu: _Can u pick me up?_ :)

Lois rolled her eyes and unlocked her phone to text back.

Lo: _Uber_

Lu: :(

Lo: _Don’t you have money??_

Lu: :(

“Fucking…” Lois muttered.

Lo: _Get a taxi and i’ll pay when you get here._

Lu: _Thanks you’re the best! <3_

Lo: _Yeah, yeah_

Lois muttered under her breath as she dropped her phone on the table. Twenty minutes later, it buzzed again.

Lu: _I’m here!_

Lois took her time going down. When she walked out into the night, she saw her sister standing on the curb, arms crossed. She was still in her flight attendant uniform with her strawberry-blonde hair in a tight bun. She widened her eyes urgently at Lois.

“Here you go,” Lois said as she handed a wad of cash to the driver.

He raced off, and Lucy grinned and opened her arms wide.

“Hiiii!” she squealed as she wrapped her big sister in a hug.

Lois let her annoyance fade just a little and hugged her back.

“Thanks so much! I’ll pay you back,” Lucy said, “You look the same!”

“Don’t I always. What happened to your crap?” Lois pointed to the single luggage case.

“I’m downsizing.”

Lucy grabbed the handle and headed for the building.

“Are you sure you didn’t just leave your stuff at an ex’s place?”

Lucy threw her a look that was somehow both dismissive and disapproving.

“When you leave in a hurry, you realize what’s important.”

“I’m happy for you,” Lois said dryly.

“Thanks.”

In the elevator, Lucy looked around suspiciously.

“Are you sure this thing is safe?”

“You fly in planes all the time, and you’re asking if this is safe?”

“Airplanes are the safest form of travel,” Lucy recited, “And they’re not old as balls.”

“This thing may be old, but it hasn’t killed anyone yet.”

The door creaked open, and Lois pushed back the grate and gestured ahead of her.

“Isn’t it crazy that I’ve never been here?” Lucy said, “Last time I visited, you were still in that shitty place and had barely made staff at the _Planet_. Before you were fa-mous.” She said the last sentence in sing-song.

Lois opened the door.

“Ok, it looks better than I was expecting, but still not that great.”

“Fuck off,” Lois said, heading straight to the kitchen for a glass of wine.

“Ooh, can I have one, too?” Lucy called as she examined the framed photos near the couch, “Where’s Clark?”

“Not home. Have you eaten yet?”

“Plane food. Do you have leftovers?”

“I’ll make you a plate. Go sit at the table.”

Lucy left her luggage in the middle of the room, kicked off her heels, and skipped over to sit at the table. There was already a pillow and comforter set laid out on the couch for Lucy to use later. Lois set her dinner in front of her and sat down across the table.

“You finally learned to cook,” Lucy said around a mouthful.

“Clark made it. And don’t talk with your mouth full; it’s disgusting.”

Lucy grinned and waited till she swallowed to speak again. “He cooks, too? Some girls get all the luck.”

“Maybe you’d have better luck if you stopped dating every fuckboy who crosses your path.”

Lucy glared at her. “As if you’ve always gotten it right. I know about your drama, remember?”

Lois chuckled humorlessly. “You _think_ you know about my drama. There’s a reason I don’t tell you my business anymore.”

Lucy shoved some food in her mouth and raised her eyebrows questioningly.

Lois continued, “Because, every time I tell you something, you turn around and tell Dad.”

Lucy did a massive eyeroll. “I don’t know why you’re making me the bad guy. You should be talking to him anyway.”

“I don’t want to talk to him, Lucy. The less he knows about me, the better.”

“Y’know, avoiding confrontation is never gonna solve the problems you two have.”

“It’s easy for you to say something like that,” Lois laughed, “You’ve always been daddy’s little girl. Do you know the last time he called me that wasn’t a birthday or Christmas? It was after Black Zero. I thought he was actually concerned about me, but turns out, he just wanted to interrogate me about the Kryptonians.”

“That’s not true! He was worried sick about you.”

“He never told me that.”

“He can’t tell you if you don’t talk to him.”

“You don’t get it. I don’t do what he wants, and he hates me forever. You don’t do what he wants, and he helps subsidize your next career path.”

Lucy sighed and shook her head. “Lo, he doesn’t hate you. He’s just not good with –”

“Emotions? Parenting?”

“Hey, we turned out perfectly fine.”

“After a fashion.”

“He’s not mad because you’re not in the military. He’s mad because you’re a journalist.”

Lois laughed even louder this time. “Is that better?”

“Well, no, but…You know how he is. He –“

“Hates the First Amendment,” Lois said, still smirking.

Lucy glowered at her.

“I think,” Lucy began slowly, enunciating each word, “Dad has improved a lot, and you haven’t noticed. If you two could just sit down and spend some time together, things could improve in our family.”

Lois looked at her thoughtfully. “Are you trying to get me to come to your birthday thing?”

Lucy nodded.

“Not gonna happen.”

“You’re gonna be mad.”

Lois’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I already told him you’d be there.” Lucy said meekly.

Lois’s face darkened, and Lucy braced herself. Lois stood up and grabbed a pillow from the couch. Lucy was already out of her seat, but Lois ran after her and beat her over the head.

“You dumbass! Why would you do that?”

Lucy tried to grab the pillow from her, but to no avail.

“You’d only have to stay for, like, an hour!” Lucy squeaked defensively, “If you don’t come, you can always say I made it up!”

“He’s gonna say I should have ‘done it for Lucy’!”

Lucy finally snatched the pillow away and threw it across the room. She spun and caught Lois in a headlock. Lois was about to elbow her in the ribs, but the door lock clicked open. They froze, and Clark stared back at them with raised eyebrows.

“Clark!” Lucy gasped and released her sister. She ran over to hug him.

“How was your flight?” he asked while throwing an amused glance at Lois.

“It was good.” Lucy leaned back to look him up and down, her hands sliding down his biceps, “It’s so great to meet you in person!”

“Same here.”

Clark smoothly extracted himself from Lucy’s grip. “Excuse me, I have to wash up.”

As soon as his back was turned, Lucy turned to Lois and mouthed, “Wow.” Lois rolled her eyes and went back to the table for her wine. Lucy also sat back down, but she continued to glance over at Clark as he washed the dishes. The sisters carried on with small talk. When Clark was done washing up, he came over to kiss Lois goodnight. Lucy stared at his ass as he walked away. Once he was out of sight, she whipped her head back around.

“Shut up,” Lois said preemptively.

“Where did you find him, again?” Lucy half-whispered.

“In a glacier.”

Lucy cackled and twirled her fork. “I’m serious. If you don’t tell me, I’m gonna have to do some investigating.”

“It was at the _Planet_. If you paid attention when I talk, you would remember that.”

“He cooks _and_ cleans. He’s full service, huh?” Lucy said with an evil grin.

“He’s gonna hear you.”

“No, he won’t. I’m whispering.”

Lois sighed. “I’m going to bed.”

“I would if I were you,” Lucy giggled.

“Remember I can throw you out on the street.”

“Yes, Lois,” Lucy said mockingly, “Have a good night.”

“Goodnight.”

Lois settled into bed and rested her head on Clark’s chest.

“Sorry about that,” she murmured, and he chuckled.

“Eh, I’ve had worse.”

“Tell me if she’s making you uncomfortable, and I’ll kick her out.”

“It’s fine. She doesn’t have anywhere else to go.”

“She can handle herself. She always does, eventually. If I can’t defend the honor of my fiancé, what kind of woman am I?”

Clark stifled a laugh. “Just don’t come to blows. What was going on when I came in?”

“She told our dad that I would come to her birthday dinner that they always do.”

“You don’t want to go,” he said without really posing it as a question.

She was quiet for a few moments. “What if she’s right? What if I am making it worse?”

“It’s understandable why you don’t want to. You don’t owe him anything.” He was quiet for a minute. “I don’t mean to be morbid, but…If something were to happen, and you never got the chance to clear the air, you might regret it.”

Silence hung between them for another minute. Lois thought about Clark’s regret that his last conversation with his father was an argument.

“I’ll think about it,” she said.

~

Lois looked away from the trees to glance down at Lucy’s phone. They were sitting on a park bench after getting frozen yoghurt.

“Lucy,” Lois murmured.

Lucy kept typing, but mumbled, “Yeah?”

“Can we talk, please?”

Lucy looked up curiously and turned off her phone screen.

“Look,” Lois began, “I know what you’re trying to do, and I know why. You remember our family as being so perfect before, but it wasn’t like that.”

Lucy was frowning and opened her mouth, but Lois raised a hand to stop her. “Just let me finish first, alright?” Lois took a breath and continued, “When Mom was here, she _made_ our family. You remember Dad reading you bedtime stories, but I remember her begging him to come home at a reasonable time to be with his girls. I know he loves us, but I’ve struggled with him. He put all his expectations on me, and when I ‘failed,’ he acted like I committed a crime against him. He held me to a different standard. That’s why I’m so protective now. He doesn’t even know Clark exists. I get why you want to fix things, Lu. But I’ve tried to get through to him before, and it’s never worked. This dinner is not going to magically fix all that history. If I could make everything perfect, I would, believe me. But, I just can’t. That’s the reality.”

Lucy’s lips were pressed into a thin line.

“I’m not that naïve,” she said, “I know things weren’t perfect. He tried, though, sometimes. That counts for something, right? I’m not gonna tell you that you don’t have a right to be mad at him for the things he’s said and done. I back you up on that one hundred percent; you know I do. What I’m trying to say is, we can’t just fall apart. Like you said, Mom made this family. She worked so hard to help us connect. After she died, everything just crumbled. How can we give up after everything she did? The last time we were all together was before she passed. That was the last thing she saw. That was her dream.”

Her eyes were watery. She looked away. Lois reached around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug.

“I don’t want to give up,” Lucy murmured.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter now.

“What’s the likelihood of your dad hating me?” Clark asked as he adjusted his tie.

“One hundred percent,” Lois said, "He thinks I’m incapable of making good decisions. Hence, you’re a bad decision. But, don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

He smirked. They walked into the living room to find Lucy ready in a cocktail dress. She looked up from her phone and shoved it in a pocket.

“Did you see my dress has pockets?” she asked as she sauntered up to them.

“Yes, good for you,” Lois said dismissively.

Lucy took Clark’s other arm and cozied up to him. When they arrived at the restaurant, the host directed them to their table. Lois laid eyes on her father for the first time in years. Even though his back was to her and his hair was fully grey, she still recognized him. Lucy went ahead and tapped his shoulder. He turned, and his face lit up.

“Lu! How’s my girl?” he said as he hugged her.

“I’m great. Lois came with me!”

She gestured over to Lois and Clark. The brightness in Sam’s face faded and settled into a pensive expression. He stared at Clark for a second before looking back at Lois.

“Hi, Dad,” Lois said.

“Lois.”

They hugged quickly.

“How have you been?” he asked.

“Good. How about you?”

“Good,” he said, nodding.

There was a pause.

“I was wondering if you were still alive,” he joked wryly, “Seems I always have to wait for the news or your sister to tell me how my daughter is.”

Lois shrugged slightly. “I wouldn’t want to bother you…Uh, Dad, this is Clark, my partner.”

Clark felt like he was being offered up like a lamb, but he smiled and held out a hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”

Sam eyed him again before shaking his hand.

“Nice to meet you. Funny I never heard of you before.”

“Why don’t we sit down?” Lucy interjected.

Lucy sat beside Sam. Lois didn’t want to sit on his other side, but she didn’t want to subject Clark to that position, either. A waiter skirted in to take their orders.

“I left your present at the hotel, Lu,” Sam said in a brighter tone than a minute ago, “I’ll have it sent over tomorrow. So, what have you been up to? Staying in trouble?”

Lois glanced around in a disgruntled way as her father and sister chatted. She was torn between jealously and gratefulness that he wasn’t prying at her. Clark noticed her mood and held her hand reassuringly under the table.

“Clark, are you a reporter?” Sam asked suddenly.

Lois snapped to attention, ready to defend her man.

“Yes, sir.”

“What attracted you to that line of work?”

“It’s important to know what’s going on in the world. People deserve to have their stories told.”

“Stories, huh? And you trust the news to tell accurate stories?”

“If it’s properly vetted, yes.”

“I suppose you think you’re a good judge of truth?”

Lois clenched her jaw in apprehension, earning a wide-eyed warning from Lucy. Clark just chuckled and glanced down for a moment.

“I don’t trust myself all that much, sir. But I trust facts.”

“You know, Lois once told me there was no such thing as truth. What do you make of that?”

“I didn’t say that,” Lois cut in.

“Oh, really?” said Sam.

“No, I said that truth is made up of facts and interpretations. Truth is subjective. You can take the same event and get ten different truths out of it.”

Sam snapped his fingers. “There it is, then. How do _you_ know, as a reporter, which truth is the right one?”

“You pick the one that feels right,” Lois said emphatically, “We’re all human; it’s the best we can do.”

“Let the man answer.”

“It’s like Lois said,” Clark asserted, “We’ve all got our own interpretations, so I have to pick the one I think is right.”

“Doesn’t that make the whole news enterprise null and void, then? There’s no authority. Everybody just says what they want. Why should I believe anything? Take this new whistleblower, for example. _My_ truth is that she’s endangering millions of innocent lives by compromising national security. Whereas, Lois’s truth – and probably yours, too – is that she’s doing the American people a service.” He tossed his hands in the air. “Where’s the real truth? If it doesn’t exist, then I don’t have to believe anyone else’s opinion.”

“But you do have to respect it,” Lois said firmly.

She and Sam stared each other down for a moment before Lucy piped up, “I agree with Lois.”

“What, I’m outnumbered? Three to one?”

“Guess so,” Lois mumbled.

Thankfully, the waiter brought their food then. Lois took the opportunity to decompress. She’d forgotten how much her nerves acted up around her dad.

When they finished the main course, Lucy turned to Clark.

“I’m gonna go to the bathroom,” she said, “Clark, you were asking me where it was earlier.”

He frowned a little in confusion, but Lucy tilted her head and glared at him with a smile.

“Oh, yeah,” he said, “Can you show me?”

He glanced apologetically at Lois as they stood up. She watched aggravatedly as her allies left the room.

“Where’d you find that guy?” Sam asked.

Lois didn’t bother to hide her annoyance now. “Can you _try_ to be nice to him? He never did anything to you.”

“All I asked was where did you find him?”

“Work, Dad.”

“I’ll give you this: he’s not the worst person you’ve dated.”

She rolled her eyes and sighed.

“You sure you want to date someone who looks like that? People might talk.”

“Talk about what, Dad?”

“You’re a smart girl. Don’t play stupid. He looks like the alien.”

“Lots of people look like _Kal-El_.”

“But you’re dating one of them. You’re handing the story straight to the gossip magazines. It looks like you’re with the poor man just because he looks like Superman.”

“Fuck what it looks like.”

He cringed and glanced around.

“Jesus,” he whispered angrily, “Can you try to behave?”

“I’m a grown woman. I can behave however I want.”

“It was too much to ask for my eldest daughter to not embarrass me.”

Lois’s blood was starting to boil, but she knew from experience that losing her cool with him would lead nowhere good. She closed her eyes and took three deep breaths.

“Dad,” she began evenly, “I didn’t come here to revel in how much you hate my guts. I came for Lucy. Let’s both try to be civil for her sake. Additionally, I brought Clark here out of courtesy. It would be kind of shitty of me to get married without you knowing, especially if we’re going to have kids.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

He leaned back in his chair. “I’m surprised you’re finally settling down. I thought you’d be running around, trying to get killed forever.”

“Funny, I thought the same thing about you.”

Silence hung over the table again until Lucy’s voice lifted over the general hum.

“Hey, we’re back! All the furniture still upright?”

She plopped back down in her seat. Clark leaned over to Lois’s ear.

“You ok?” he whispered.

“I’ve been worse.”

Sam pushed his chair out. “I’m going to the men’s room.”

Lois mock applauded as he left the room. “Look at that. Him leaving in a huff instead of me.”

“Small victories, huh?” Lucy said, “Does that mean it’s getting better?”

“Hell no. I’m never doing this again.”

“Is he invited to your wedding, at least?” Lucy asked with a doubtful smirk.

Lois grimaced and looked at Clark.

“I feel like we should,” he murmured to a groan and eye-roll from his fiancée.

“I’d rather stick to terse phone calls, thanks.”

“Admit that this wasn’t too bad,” Lucy said as she slumped with her elbow on the table, “It wasn’t World War III like the last time.”

“He held his tongue a little. Did you brief him or something?”

“Nah.”

“Whatever. After dessert, we’ll be home free, so let’s play nice and get this over with.”

When Sam reappeared, Lois said, “Lucy,” and her sister snapped back up to a proper posture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed. Comments are appreciated.


End file.
